Critique my recording tone - longer sample now included

nickmix · #1 02-20-2021, 11:56 PM

Here's a verse/chorus of index finger strumming a Santa Cruz OOO 12-fret fingerstyle guitar.

Imagine this with abass, percussion and male vocal. Nothing more than that.

Mic is a KM184 through a Solo 610 tube mic pre (Universal Audio). Straight into Cubase. Guitar is about 12 inches away from mic. Mic is aimed at neck/body joint.

No compression or EQ. This is the raw sound I captured.

Just looking for your recording/tone critique not artistic feedback.

https://soundcloud.com/fierce-fighti...mple-2-20-2021

Thanks, Nick

SprintBob · #2 02-21-2021, 06:25 AM

Need a longer sample for the experienced AGF’ers here to really evaluate IMO. Also, what kind of music do you intend to record? Singing and playing, guitar with other instruments, or solo guitar, etc.? That can provide better context for feedback.

nickmix · #3 02-21-2021, 11:39 AM

Thanks Bob - sample updated accordingly, a little more detail in the msg. Appreciate your feedback.

Andyrondack · #4 03-10-2021, 04:56 AM

.................?

KevWind · #5 03-10-2021, 09:40 AM

As recorded what you have is OK and imagining it in a mix it "could" work OK especially if you only want it to fill the mid's and sit back in the mix.
That said being RAW on its own it is a bit thin sounding over all, and lacking in both dynamics and presence. Again mostly mid's with not much low , or high end. In a mix the lack of low end could be filled out by a bass track, but it would still lack any air on the top end and presence over all (which you may want) depending on the specific mix and your preference.

For more dynamics and presence you might try aiming the mic at the bottom of the bridge and maybe closer like 6 " Or use a pick (unless that's not in your wheel house).

BTW love the FFF avatar, you should maybe consider becoming a charter member and use it here on AGF ,

Also if you use the AGF SoundCloud direct bracket (Little square box with the white cloud on orange and red square, upper right in the reply tool bar)

Then your SC track will appear embedded in you post (like this)

Brent Hahn · #6 03-10-2021, 10:03 AM

I made a point of not reading the other comments, because I want to talk to you, not to them. I think the untreated room isn't helping. There's a narrow upper-midrange peak that would probably bother you a lot if you tried to brighten the sound with EQ. And you say you don't want "artistic feedback," but the physical execution and your musicality and the recording quality are all inseparable. A couple years from now when you're a stronger player, the same guitar and the same gear in the same spot will sound better.

BoneDigger · #7 03-10-2021, 12:43 PM

I'm certainly no expert and I fight with these things myself. I think the recording sounds okay, maybe not great, but not bad. Some room treatment and some EQ would go a long way. As others have mentioned, there seems to be a strong emphasis on the mids. My first advice would be to simply try different mic angles and orientations to find the one that YOU like the best (you may have already done this). You might also think about trying a thicker pick, which will perhaps bring some of the mids down a touch. Do you plan to sing with the guitar? If so, the emphasis on the mids may tend to overlap the vocals quite a bit. Again, some EQ might help a bit with that.

j3ffr0 · #8 03-11-2021, 12:16 AM

My first thought when I listened to the clip was nice warm strumming. Indeed the 610 warms that 184 up nicely, but I'll admit to liking my guitars warm. Sounds like a good rhythm guitar track for me, and it might sit in the mix well as it is. Any needed tweaks could certainly be done with eq.